Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Stone River

I'm procrastinating on my epic....

Here's a Story about Falling Acorn:

Stone RiverHis Mustang’s hooves pounded against the hard packed earth, galloping alongside the stampede. There is was, a bull, Falling Acorn sided up along it, drew back his spear, and- “Yee-Ha!” Coyote Wind brought down a buffalo one. Falling Acorn drew back, every time. As he returned to camp, he saw Coyote Wind’s kill, it was pretty small, yet Coyote Wind was being treated like a hero. “See that you still have a lot to learn about hunting Acorn!” he laughed. “Yeah,” Falling Acorn mumbled, and went off into the woods. “You know, it’s not his fault,” Buffalo Moon said. ”He’s expected to finish the hunt” “Yeah, but can’t he once give someone else a chance?” Falling Acorn asked from his perch. “You know he can’t help it, he has big expectations to live up to,” Acorn knew this all too well, Coyote Wind had been gloating about it since he could talk. He was the future chief, and Falling Acorn was a nobody. “Mmmph” “Well you think it over.” And with that, Buffalo Moon left. Suddenly Acorn heard screams, coming from the direction of camp! He dropped down from the tree, and started running to the camp. He couldn’t believe what was happening. The Calvary was slaughtering his tribe, and setting their Tepees on fire! Bullets and spears were flying everywhere, and men on both sides were falling! Bayonets flashed in the sun, and blood fell fast on the ground. Acorn grabbed his bow, and notched and arrow. He was about to take down the Sergeant- “Get down!” He turned around only to see Cold Mountain fall. Acorn Falling Acorn was about to go help him when he realized his final words. Isoqk crawled over and took his spear. He stood up and spotted Cold Mountain’s slayer. He ran forward, and felt a sharp pain in his arm, just as Acorn threw the spear. It found its target. He fell down in agony. He could barley breathe. He felt like his arm was on fire, the pain was unbearable. Then, all of a sudden, the Calvary left, and Falling Acorn lost consciousness. “Huh? What happened?” Falling Acorn tried to sit up, he felt a sharp pain in his arm. He looked over and saw it bandaged up. He looked around and saw the women tending to the wounded and dying men. “Hey! You! Lie down; you’re not fit to stand yet!” an older woman yelled at him. Acorn ignored her, and walked around the dead. The sun was rising over the gently sloping plains hills, shedding light on a scene of carnage. The grass was stained red, and bodies littered the ground. He only saw a few survivors, and they were being tended to. “Falling Acorn!” He whirled around and saw Coyote Wind, his shoulder was bleeding, badly,“How am I doing?” “Better than ever.” Falling Acorn replied. “Nice try.” Coyote Wind wheezed, just before he blacked out. “Wise Moose!! Over here! Coyote Wind needs your help!” “Do you think I’m not already bus- Oh,” Wise Moose stared at Coyote Wind’s shoulder, “That’s beyond my abilities; you’ll need to take him to the Stone River Shaman. I can give him something to hold him over, but he’ll need help quickly.” Falling Acorn ran over and grabbed some blankets, and returned to see Wise Moose tending Coyote Wind. “This is bad, we’ll need to hurry,” she muttered. “I’ll take him; I can ride faster alone, and we can make it to Stone River by sundown tomorrow days from now.” “But-“ “I know what I’m doing; I’m not a child any more.” Falling Acorn countered.They lay Coyote Wind on the back of Acorn’s horse, Star Light. They gave him supplies and additional medicine in case Coyote Wind’s condition became worse. With some final goodbyes, Falling Acorn took off, starting a mission which held Coyote Wind’s life in the balance.All day he rode, over hills and plains, through the scorching sun, until finally night fell, and Falling Acorn had to stop.He set up camp, and lay Coyote Wind down next to the fire.“Uuhh. Where am I?” Coyote Wind sat up rubbing his head. “It’s not important, go back to sleep,” Acorn said over the cooking fire.“Oww, my shoulder hurts.”“I said, go back to sleep. You need it.” And with that, Falling Acorn ate his meal of buffalo meat and apples alone. After two hours at watch, Acorn fell asleep.His dream engulfed him. It was the attack all over. His friends dying, one by one. Each time he blacked out, only to awaken to the same scene again. “Ahhh!” Falling Acorn woke up, drenched in a cold sweat; he looked around, only to see Coyote Wind staring at him. “What happened?” “Relax, you were dreaming. But you could have woken up everyone in a half mile radius.” “Oh, thanks.” But hard as he tried, Acorn couldn’t bring himself to go back to sleep, and spent the night on watch. They’d been going for three hours, and the sun wasn’t up yet. They started off early to escape the mid day heat. And Coyote Wind wasn’t faring well. He’d been feeling nauseous. “I don’t feel too goo-“ Instantly the situation went from bad to worse, he was showing signs of the Green Killer, and he needed help, Fast. Falling Acorn took off at a gallop, pushing Star Light to his limits. He didn’t have much time, and Stone River was still far away. As he walked up to the rocks, Acorn instantly knew why it was called Stone River. A dryed out river bed, filled to the brim with sacred stones from all over, he could only stare in awe at the amount of stones. They stretched on in every direction. Axorn knew Moon Light wouldn’t make it, so he put Coyote Wind on his back and headed off.“Thump.” Falling Acorn’s foot slipped into a hole. After he pulled it out, he noticed the Rattlers coming out adter him. Knowing that if he got bitten, he couldn’t be able to get Coyote Wind to the Shaman in time, Acorn Picked up the pace.So much for sacred stines. He thought. His fooy caught a loose rock, and he went down. The snakes were coming closer! Acorn scrambled to get up, then ran to the other side. Finsllyt, firm earth under his feet, and there was the Shaman’s domed Teepee “Hello…,” Falling Acorn said as he poked his head past the furs covering the door, to see the ridiculously old Sshaman sitting there.“Hello,” the Shaman replied.“I need, I mean my friend needs your help.”. “I see, come on in,” the Shaman said, with a gesture of kindness. Falling Acorn brought Coyote Wind in, and the Shaman looked him over “So, can you help him?” Acorn asked.“I can,” the Shaman replied, but didn’t move a muscle.“Will you?”“Now I will,” the Shaman went to work, and sent Fslliong Acorn out of the tent while he healed Coyote Wind. The next day, Acorn was told he could come in. “How am I doing?” Coyote Wind asked once he woke up to see Falling Acorn looking at him. “Never been better,” Acorn Replied. “Still a terrible liar, and hunter, but I suppose my life is indebted to you.” “I suppose so.” “Acorn?” “Yes?” “Thanks.”